EPE's Application to Amend it's CCN to Include Copperhead and Black Mountain Solar and Battery Storage Facilities

EPE's Application to Amend it's CCN to Include Copperhead and Black Mountain Solar and Battery Storage Facilities On April 30, 2026, El Paso Electric Company (EPE or Company) filed an application with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (Commission) requesting an amendment to its Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) to construct, own and operate a new 200-megawatt ("MW") solar photovoltaic ("PV") generation facility, co-located with a 200 MW battery energy storage system ("BESS"), which will be called the Copperhead Energy Project ("Copperhead") , and 2) a 100 MW solar PV generating facility co-located with a 50 MW BESS facility, known as the Black Mountain Energy Project ("Black Mountain") (collectively, "the Projects"). Both Projects will be Texas resources. The docket number and style of the application are PUC Docket No. 59690. "Application of El Paso Electric Company to Amend Its Certificate of Convenience and Necessity to Include the Copperhead and Black Mountain Solar and Battery Storage Facilities." EPE is not seeking to change its rates in this proceeding. There are two components of each of the Projects proposed in this filing: solar PV generating capacity and BESS. Both components will be used by the Company as resources allocated to serving its Texas jurisdiction and both components will be constructed at the same respective Project location, and they are expected to be operational by the second quarter of 2028. In order to meet customer demand and to satisfy its reliability standards, EPE determined that it needs additional long-term energy supply resources. Consequently, on July 1, 2025, EPE issued a competitive All-Source Request for Proposal for Electric Power Supply and Load Management Resources for Texas to obtain long-term cost effective, reliable electric resources that will meet its Texas customer load requirements. EPE received 101 bids for a variety of resource types and capacity options. Based on an evaluation of the bids EPE received using economic and other criteria, along with the oversight of an independent evaluator, EPE selected nine proposals as the lowest reasonable cost portfolio that would reliably meet the needs of EPE's Texas customers and the Company's planning reserve margin. The Projects are two of those nine proposals. The Projects' solar PV facilities will consist of crystalline silicon PV modules manufactured by SEG and Canadian Solar, both of which are considered Tier 1 PV module suppliers. The selected panels are high wattage and large format to reduce the overall number of panels to be installed. The modules will be mounted to a single axis tracking system configured one panel high in portrait. The Copperhead BESS facility is a HiTHIUM ESS 5.016MWh (4-hr) model with a liquid-cooled container which uses prismatic Lithium Iron Phosphate 314Ah cells. These containers meet the highest level of safety requirements for energy storage systems prescribed by IEC, UL, ISO and UN. The BESS will include a three-phase bidirectional storage inverter that can be used in grid-connected and stand-alone systems. Black Mountain will use the Tesla Megapack 2 XL (Megapack) which is an all-in-one utility-scale energy storage system optimized for cost and performance. Megapack's architecture consists of battery cells aggregated into modules, and power electronics modules. Both are thermally managed by an integrated liquid cooling and heating system for thermal safety, enhanced performance, and reliability. The Inverter for the BESS is a bi-directional power conversion system that couples each Megapack with the power grid in AC power. Copperhead will be built in the city of El Paso, Texas. The precise location of the site where Copperhead will be built and operated is 31.63° latitude and 106.05° longitude. The proposed point of interconnection for Copperhead will be the Company's existing Wicked-to-Seaback transmission line at 115kV, located adjacent to the Project site. Copperhead will utilize already existing transmission infrastructure to create cost efficiencies and minimize development lag. Black Mountain will be built near Afton, New Mexico. The precise location of the site where Black Mountain will be built and operated is 32.0898° latitude and 106.7782° longitude. The proposed point of interconnection will include a 345kV generation tie line to interconnect to the Company's existing 345kV Afton North-to-Vado transmission line. Black Mountain will also use already existing transmission infrastructure to create cost efficiencies and minimize development lag. Both Projects will include the installation of a new high voltage substation to support interconnection to EPE's transmission system. The cumulative estimated cash capital cost for the Projects is approximately $872 million. The cost does not reflect the federal Production Tax Credits or Investment Tax Credits for renewable energy projects provided by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The deadline for intervention in this proceeding is June 8, 2026; a letter requesting intervention should be received by the Commission by that date. A request to intervene or for further information should be mailed to the Public Utility Commission of Texas, P.O. Box 13326, Austin, Texas 78711-3326. Further information may also be obtained by calling the Commission at (512) 936-7120 or (888) 782-8477. Hearing-and speech-impaired individuals with text telephones ("TTY") may contact the Commission at (512) 936-7136 or use Relay Texas (toll-free) 1-800-735-2989. A copy of EPE's petition may be viewed on the Commission's webpage at www.puc.state.tx.us. The Commission maintains an electronic copy of all filings on the "filings - interchange" section of its webpage. The control number for this proceeding on the Commission's webpage is 59690. Persons with questions, who want more information on this petition, or who want to obtain a copy of a map that depicts the facilities may also contact EPE at 100 N. Stanton, El Paso, Texas 79901, or call 915-543-4185, during normal business hours and request information concerning the Copperhead/Black Mountain CCN. Maps depicting the locations of the facilities may be reviewed at EPE's offices at 100 N. Stanton, El Paso, Texas 79901. May 15 2026 LACO0518906